modern muscle cars

Modern Muscle Cars

Puts the “muscle” in muscle cars: “The Challenger R/T Scat Pack is fun in the most immature way imaginable with obnoxiously loud exhaust, a huge Shaker hood scoop and bright purple paint that lets everyone at the party know you've arrived,” Bruzek said. “It is unabashedly, unapologetically retro in everything it does,” Bragman said, “from the styling, to the interior, to the Shaker hood on the massive Hemi V-8.” It's “by far the most muscular looking of these muscle cars,” Robinson said, “but it is as comfortable as a big family sedan.” Wiesenfelder said, “the Challenger proves that style needn't sacrifice utility or comfort.” “Definitely fun,” Kadah said, “but definitely different than the others. The Challenger is still a muscle car while the Camaro and Mustang are sports cars.”

Modern Muscle Cars

Americans always have loved muscle cars, and they love muscle cars with big V-8 engines. With gas below $2 a gallon in many places, there might not be a better time to buy one. We tested muscle cars with V-8 monsters. They provided plenty of thrills, plenty of noise and lots to talk about.

Modern Muscle Cars

Page 1 of 12 Affordable muscle cars are the people’s champions, machines that might not have the all-around performance pedigree of a dedicated sports car but which still pack significant power under the hood. The democratization of inexpensive muscle has reached a fever pitch over the course of the last decade or so, with anywhere between 300 and 500 horsepower accessible to gearheads at surprisingly reasonable prices both on the used and new market. In recognition of this golden age of cheap performance we’ve put together a list of the 10 best affordable muscle cars money can buy, split between 5 brand new 2015 models and 5 recent used vehicles. Let’s see how much tire smoke per dollar you can get on the modern market.

Affordable muscle cars are the people’s champions, machines that might not have the all-around performance pedigree of a dedicated sports car but which still pack significant power under the hood. The democratization of inexpensive muscle has reached a fever pitch over the course of the last decade or so, with anywhere between 300 and 500 horsepower accessible to gearheads at surprisingly reasonable prices both on the used and new market. In recognition of this golden age of cheap performance we’ve put together a list of the 10 best affordable muscle cars money can buy, split between 5 brand new 2015 models and 5 recent used vehicles. Let’s see how much tire smoke per dollar you can get on the modern market.

We took a look at the fastest muscle cars that have graced the U.S. market in the 2010s. The list is largely the same as it could’ve been 47 years ago, with Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, Charger, and a few others, leading the lot. But thanks to huge advances in engineering, these cars are now safer, more reliable, and most importantly, more powerful than ever before. There may be some omissions, but we limited the list to cars that we could find precise and reliable test data for. Sports cars, including the Dodge Viper and Chevrolet Corvette, have also been omitted in order to stick closer to pure muscle car DNA.

The Z28 nameplate is legendary among Camaro fans, and when it returned in 2014, it brought it right back to the track. The latest Z28 proved that muscle cars have figured out how to take a corner — fast. Zero to 60 in this “track rat” comes in four seconds flat, and quarter-mile runs come in at about 12.2 seconds, besting all but a few muscle cars on the market. But lightness and suspension adjustments are what made the Z28 so formidable; 505 horsepower and 481 pound-feet is nothing to sneeze at, but compared to other cars on this list, it’s a lightweight. There hasn’t been a Z28 announced for the sixth-generation car yet, but that’s alright, because we still have the next car on our list.

Although the Nissan GT-R is priced in the low six figures (starting), it is one of the most desirable American Muscle Cars sold new on the market NOW! The model is in its seventh year of production and features improved steering and suspension tuning making it even more attractive to those buying the vehicle as a daily driver. The NISMO version of the twin-turbo V-6 engine is rated at 600 horsepower, and the auto can go from zero to 60 MPH in an amazing 2.9 seconds. The GT-R has slightly above average fuel efficiency ratings compared to other modern Muscle Cars in the United States with a 16 MPG (city) and 23 MPG (highway) overall rating.

Handling: “Its handling and steering precision have a feel more similar to a Chevy Corvette than any of the other muscle cars,” Bruzek said. “The excellent steering, balance and road-holding raises the Camaro above the level of muscle car and into the realm of sports cars,” Wiesenfelder said.

Affordable muscle cars are the people’s champions, machines that might not have the all-around performance pedigree of a dedicated sports car but which still pack significant power under the hood. The democratization of inexpensive muscle has reached a fever pitch over the course of the last decade or so, with anywhere between 300 and 500 horsepower accessible to gearheads at surprisingly reasonable prices both on the used and new market.

Get used to seeing the Challenger’s name over the course of our journey through the fastest modern muscle cars, as Dodge has thoroughly cemented its place in the new American lexicon. Of the smattering of available Challenger models, the T/A is as hot as it gets before the mad geniuses at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ performance division get a hold of it. The retro T/A produces 375 horsepower and pound-feet of torque from its 5.7 liter V8 engine. Zero to 60 comes in 5.1 seconds, and you can make the quarter mile sprint in under 14 seconds. That may sound quick, but it’s nothing compared to the other dozen cars on our list.

Dyno Tuning Modern Muscle has tuned thousands of cars over the years both old and new, fuel injected and carbureted, street car and race car. You can be sure your car will be at its maximum performance when all is said and done. We use a DynoJet 224xLC dynamometer along with a host of software such as HPTuners, DiabloSport, and SCT to tune your vehicle. If you use a custom fuel management system, chances are pretty good we have tuned with it in the past. What to expect from a custom dyno tune? Generally speaking you will see performance gains with improvement in both driveability and fuel economy after a dyno tune. How much is actually gained or improved depends heavily on the existing modifications on the vehicle and how far off the current tune is. Why waste money on mail order tunes when you can have a custom dyno tune tailored to your vehicle. The best part is they cost pretty close to the same thing.

Modern Muscle has tuned thousands of cars over the years both old and new, fuel injected and carbureted, street car and race car. You can be sure your car will be at its maximum performance when all is said and done. We use a DynoJet 224xLC dynamometer along with a host of software such as HPTuners, DiabloSport, and SCT to tune your vehicle. If you use a custom fuel management system, chances are pretty good we have tuned with it in the past. What to expect from a custom dyno tune? Generally speaking you will see performance gains with improvement in both driveability and fuel economy after a dyno tune. How much is actually gained or improved depends heavily on the existing modifications on the vehicle and how far off the current tune is. Why waste money on mail order tunes when you can have a custom dyno tune tailored to your vehicle. The best part is they cost pretty close to the same thing.

We ranked this baker’s dozen by horsepower. In the event that there was a tie (and there were a few), we used zero to 60 times to settle the argument. So, without further ado, here are the 13 fastest modern muscle cars of the 2010s.

The 2015 Ford Mustang GT has been completely redesigned, but while it’s gained a new independent rear suspension system and more modern styling it hasn’t lost its affordable muscle car reputation in the process. With a starting MSRP of $32,300, the Ford Mustang GT delivers 435 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque from a 5.0-liter V-8 engine that can be mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The Mustang GT can launch itself to 60-mph from a standing start in just 4.4 seconds, and chows down the quarter mile in 12.8 seconds.

The 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T is a little old school compared to its modern muscle car compatriots, in the sense that this full-size coupe is more of a cruiser than a corner-carver. The refreshed Dodge Challenger R/T also offers the most ‘true to nostalgia’ styling on the market, with its generous proportions a faithful throwback to the early 70s Challengers it was inspired by. Under the hood, the $31,495 Challenger R/T features a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 that churns out 375 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque when matched with its standard six-speed manual transmission (an eight-speed autobox is also available). The extra size and weight of the Dodge shows up in its performance numbers: 0-60-mph takes 5.8 seconds, while the quarter mile goes by in the low 13-second range.